Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar has voiced strong opinions regarding the treatment of Sanju Samson, arguing that the wicketkeeper-batsman was unfairly sidelined by the national team management. Manjrekar believes Samson earned a permanent spot in the T20I XI following his historic run of centuries in late 2024, but was instead forced to make way for Shubman Gill. This decision, according to the commentator, ignored Samson's superior strike rate and explosive impact in favor of Gill's traditional anchoring style. The debate intensified during the early stages of T20 World Cup 2026, where India’s aggressive start was hampered by Abhishek Sharma’s struggle for form. While Abhishek eventually redeemed himself with a blistering fifty in the final, Manjrekar suggests that the initial tactical instability stemmed from the management's indecision at the top of the order. It wasn't until the later stages of the tournament that Samson was fully integrated back into the opening slot, a move that Manjrekar describes as a 'heroic entry' that fundamentally balanced the side.
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Sanjay Manjrekar questions team management over Sanju Samson treatment
Prior to the World Cup, Samson's position remained precarious, particularly during the New Zealand series where he was finally given a run after selectors dropped Shubman Gill from the T20 squad. However, the pressure of the situation seemed to take a toll; Samson struggled to find his timing in those specific games, ending the series with a disappointing average near 10. Despite this slump, Manjrekar maintains that the lack of consistent backing from the leadership contributed to these fluctuations in performance.
Manjrekar further criticised the Gautam Gambhir-led team management for what he termed a lack of role clarity, noting that Samson's spectacular T20 form was suddenly overlooked to reinstate Gill. He argued that Gill’s return was influenced more by his prolific run in the Test series in England rather than his T20 suitability. In Manjrekar’s view, fitting a classical batter like Gill into a high-octane T20 lineup was an error, as his lower strike rate failed to provide the same match-winning impact that a "pure T20 striker" like Samson offers.
“With Sanju Samson, I think there were serious blunders committed. One is when Sanju Samson seemed to have come of age and recently got three T20 international hundreds in five innings against teams like South Africa. He was actually dropped down the order a few matches later, just after four or five innings, because Shubman Gill in England had a tremendous Test series," Manjrekar said in a video on Instagram.
"It just warped logic that because Shubman Gill played so well in Test cricket, he was reinstated, he was recalled to the Indian T20 team, and what’s worse, Sanju Samson, who was at the top of the order, was pushed down the order to make way for Shubman Gill," he added.
“Now, this is where fate comes in. Rinku Singh’s absence [actually Abhishek Sharma due to illness] in one of the games [against Namibia] got Sanju Samson to come back in, and Tilak Varma, who was struggling at No. 3, was pushed down the order [against Zimbabwe], and that is why Ishan Kishan was batting at No. 3. He could bat at No. 3, and Sanju Samson got that spot, which should’ve been his right through at the top of the order, and as they say, the rest is history,” he further stated.
Sanju Samson's batting heroics win India T20 World Cup 2026 title
Despite his dynamic form in 2024, Samson faced a frustrating period of exclusion and limited opportunities throughout 2025. He was forced to wait for a significant opening to prove his value to the national side, remaining sidelined while the team experimented with other combinations at the top of the order. This period of waiting finally ended when an unforeseen opportunity arose during the 2026 T20 World Cup, allowing him to step into the playing XI and immediately make his presence felt with aggressive cameos of 22 against Namibia and a brisk 24 off 15 balls against Zimbabwe.
Samson’s true moment of redemption arrived when India faced a virtual knockout situation against the West Indies. In a high-voltage run chase, he played a career-defining unbeaten 97 off just 50 deliveries, single-handedly guiding India into the semi-finals. This performance seemed to break a psychological barrier, as he appeared completely unstoppable for the remainder of the tournament, providing the explosive starts that had been missing earlier in the campaign. The wicketkeeper-batter saved his most clinical performances for the biggest stages, dismantling the English bowling attack in the semi-final with a rapid 89 off 42 balls. He followed this up in the grand finale against New Zealand, scoring another vital 89 off 46 deliveries to help India secure the trophy. Samson concluded the 2026 T20 World Cup with a total of 321 runs and a phenomenal strike rate of 199.37, firmly establishing himself as one of the most impactful players in the tournament’s history.